Patients brace for closure of Brooklyn health clinics

Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center is closing its Charles Drew Family Health Center, at the Kingsborough Houses, and the St. Francis of Assisi Family Health Center in Bushwick.

In addition to St. Francis of Assisi and Charles Drew, three other facilities will close in the near future. Officials at the St. Thea Bowman Family Health Center, in East New York, told News 12 Brooklyn they hope their facility will continue to operate for at least the next three months.

"I just found out today," a stunned patient at one of the closing clinics said. "I came over here to see if I could talk to my doctor and next thing I know, I see them moving everything out."

Kingsbrook cites financial reasons for the decision, saying the state only reimburses its clinics 55 cents for every dollar they provide in care.

Health care advocates argue the closures will create health care voids in neighborhoods where the clinics were located.